Lithuania issues humanitarian residence permits to Belarusians for 3 years

Lithuania has already started issuing humanitarian residence permits to Belarusians for 3 years. According to the press service of the head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, on Friday it emerged that the first Belarusians, who applied for the extension of the Lithuanian residence permit on humanitarian grounds, received decisions on the extension for three years: "This indicates that the recently adopted law of the Republic of Lithuania has entered into force. Previously, it was necessary to apply annually for the extension of the permit".

It is noted that this move will partially eliminate "the issue of obtaining travel documents for this category of Belarusians, because its term is tied to the period of validity of the residence permit". Previously, Belarusians who couldn't get a new Belarusian passport were obliged to change the travel document every year after receiving a new residence permit. Now it will also be valid for three years.  

"We are very grateful to our Lithuanian partners for these legislative changes," says Tsikhanouskaya. "It is very important for us that Belarusians who cannot return home due to persecution by the regime can feel safe and count on timely assistance from Lithuania".